Chucho Valdes, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Flamenco Festival & More Set for World Music Institute's 2015-16 Season
By: BWW News Desk Jul. 27, 2015
The World Music Institute has announced its 30th Anniversary, 2015-16 season -- the debut season for Artistic Director Par Neiburger. Recognizing the ever-expanding nature of world music, Neiburger showcases the experimental and avant-garde along with the classic.
WMI's network of partners grows, featuring first-time ventures with BAM, the 92nd Street Y and Storm King Art Center. And it will have a new presence in the clubs, including DROM, Le Poisson Rouge and Meridian 23, with continuing partnerships with major venues, including the Apollo Theater, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Town Hall and Symphony Space.
The season opens with fascinating Lusophone Festival, presenting artists from five Portuguese-speaking countries: Brazil, Portugal, Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique.
WMI's 30th Anniversary comes to a thrilling end with an historic collaboration between Brazilian group Uakti and composer Philip Glass.
Three more series are introduced. Living legends headline two dream Masters series: Masters of African Music and Masters of Cuban Music. And Global/Local offers a stage to emerging NY talent in international music. Plus, WMI's celebrated Flamenco dance series makes triumphant return.
Artistic Director Par Neiburger on the new season:
"I'm truly ecstatic about our 30th Anniversary season. We have the opportunity to bring legendary artists to New York City, such as Chucho Valdes, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Buena Vista Social Club, Amjad Ali Khan, and Arturo Sandoval in celebration of this historic season. It is also of paramount importance for us to push the envelope of what World Music means by bringing over such avant-garde legends as Os Mutantes, and highlighting contemporary artists such as Bombino, Ana Carolina, and Awesome Tapes from Africa. We will also bring luminaries such as L. Subramaniam, Afro-beat legend Orlando Julius, and artists such as Kasse Mady Diabate for his first ever solo tour of the United States. The latter is in keeping with our tradition of bringing artists to New York that may otherwise not have the opportunity to perform here.
"We are also excited to be bringing back our Flamenco Festival (something for which our organization has always been known), continuing Dancing The Gods (our spectacular festival of Indian classical dance), and the Africa Now festival in partnership with the legendary Apollo Theatre.THE '15/16 SEASON:
LUSOPHONE FESTIVAL
A 4-night cross-cultural festival of musicians from the Portuguese-speaking world
(Brazil - Portugal - Cape Verde - Angola - Mozambique)
Left to Right: Os Mutantes, Lula Pena, Ricardo Lemvo
Os Mutantes
Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 8:00pm
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
Tickets $30 in advance / $35 at the door
WATCH
those revelatory moments you live for as a musician."
- Beck "Os Mutantes welded traditional Brazilian music to flower-power psychedelia,
and their experiments made them cult favorites for decades."
- Pitchfork
Os Mutantes are the pioneers of Brazilian avant-garde, and this show at LPR marks their World Music Institute debut. WMI Artistic Director Par Neiburger compares them to "the earlier, experimental Pink Floyd."
The late '60s in Brazil produced an explosion of new sounds and ideas that still reverberate throughout the world. During that time, Os Mutantes created a unique psychedelic sound that brought them international attention, earning them a lasting legacy. Their music weaves together musical influences from the English speaking world-inspirations include John Cage, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix-with bossa nova, samba, and other styles from their native Brazil. Os Mutantes' ethereal absurdist pop music, sonic collage approach and tendency for cultural irony has influenced many prominent musicians, from the Flaming Lips to David Byrne. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was tipped to the band by members of the band Red Kross. When Nirvana toured Brazil in 1993, Cobain tried to arrange a meeting with Mutante bassist/singer Arnaldo Baptista. Unable to locate the musician he sent him the following note: "Arnaldo, best wishes to you, and be careful with the system. They swallow you up and spit you out like a maraschino cherry pit." But of any contemporary musician, it is Beck who appears their direct heir. Beck readily admits a longstanding admiration, even dedicating his song "Tropicália" from the album Mutations to the band.Lula Pena
Wednesday, September 16, 2015, 8:00pm
Drom NYC
85 Avenue A
Tickets $25 in advance / $30 at the door
Co-presented with Drom
WATCH
with a deep voice and an amplified guitar that sings just like a poet"
- Caetano Veloso, in his "Obra em Progresso" blog
A truly exquisite Fado singer, the elusive and esoteric Lula Pena-one of the greatest singers born in Portugal-makes her WMI debut. Her works draws on international influences to add new textures to Portugal's ancient musical genre, as she blends traditional fado with Portuguese folk, French chanson, Cape Verdean morna, and Brazilian bossa nova. With a commanding yet sensitive voice, Pena performs solo guitar and sings of passion and pain, mirroring her personal journey as both musician and poet.
Ana Carolina
with Fantcha
Thursday, September 17, 2015, 8:00pm
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
Tickets $75, $70, $65, $55
WATCH
- The Wall Street Journal
Ana Carolina's musical talent brought her immediate success: she began performing in local venues in 1998, and her first album earned her a Latin Grammy only a year later. Today, she is one of the most important and popular voices in Brazil. World Music Institute is thrilled to present her for the first time. A skilled songwriter, Carolina draws on the wide range of music that she loves, from Chico Buarque, Maria Bethânia, and João Bosco to Björk and Nina Simone. Carolina is a talented multi-instrumentalist, performing on both guitar and percussion and especially lauded for her skillful playing of the pandeiro, a Brazilian tambourine-like instrument.
The evening also features the Cape Verde-born vocalist Fantcha (Global/Localartist), protégé of Cesaria Evora. Her music offers a unique blend of African, Cuban, and Portuguese inflections, embracing a wide range of emotions. Her sensuous voice is as compelling when evoking the longing in soulful mornas, as when she turns to energetic renditions of coladeras. Fantcha has toured throughout Cape Verde, Europe, and the U.S., with performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Chicago World Music Festival, New York's Summerstage, and Joe's Pub.Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca
with Isabel Novella
Friday, September 18, 2015, 10:00pm
Drom NYC
85 Avenue A
Tickets $30
Co-presented with Drom
WATCH
the Cuban son with the African soukous."
-The Boston Globe on Makina Loca
Raised in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (known as Zaire at the time) with Angolan family roots, Ricardo Lemvo moved to the U.S. at age 15 to continue his education. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in political science. In 1990 he formed the band Makina Loca. The group's "seamless, organic and infectious" (Los Angeles Times) blend of Cuban and African rumba and soukous, Angolan kizomba and samba, and Cuban son and salsa has garnered them critical acclaim in the decades since. "Ricardo Lemvo blends Cuba, Congo into one soulful package," wrote The Chicago Tribune, calling him "one of the few artists in tropical music today who is moving the genre forward."
Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca's latest album is La Rumba SoYo, a multinational undertaking that was recorded on three continents and in four countries (US, Canada, France and Angola). It took Lemvo three years to complete and saw him dive even deeper into his Angolan roots for inspiration.
Isabel Novella, a stunning new Afropolitan voice from Mozambique, will open the program. Unique in style and performance, Novella has carved her own niche as an artist who straddles soul-bossa jazz, marrabenta-bossa, and up beat Afro-soul to create a sound that Novella calls "pop-world soul."
MASTERS OF
AFRICAN MUSIC
Left to Right: Orlando Julius, Kassé Mady Diabaté, Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Orlando Julius & The Afro Soundz
with Underground System
Friday, September 25, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
Tickets $20 in advance /$25 at the door
WATCH
funkiest man in Nigerian pop music was Orlando Julius"
- Afropop WorldWide
Making his World Music Institute debut, Nigerian music legend Orlando Juliusplays classic Afrobeat with a psychedelic twist, constantly pushing musical boundaries. Julius is one of the original Afrobeat pioneers, predating even Fela Kuti. Starting in the '60s, he brought together traditional African sounds and rhythms with American pop, soul, and R&B. He spent many years in the United States collaborating with Lamont Dozier, the Crusaders, and Hugh Masekela, and his voice has been an essential part of the invention, development, and popularization of Afro-pop. Julius recently released a widely praised album Jaiyede Afro, which The Guardian called a "rousing new set" and which WMI's Par Neiburger calls "One of the best Afrobeat albums I've ever heard." This year also marks the 50th anniversary of his 1966 release, Super Afro Soul, which made him a national celebrity in Nigeria. The record's dramatic, highly melodic incorporation of soul, pop, and funk was ahead of its time, and arguably shaped the funk movement that swept over the United States in subsequent years.
The evening's opening act is Brooklyn-based Underground System (Global/Localartist). The culturally eclectic 11-member band, led by founder Peter Matson and Venezuelan-born front-woman Domenica Fossati, puts a New York spin on classic West African pop sound, inspired by Fela Kuti and a raw, uninhibited energy.Kassé Mady Diabaté
featuring Ballaké Sissoko
Thursday, October 1, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Avenue at East 82nd Street
Tickets $35
Presented in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art
WATCH
- The Arts Desk, London
Kassé Mady Diabaté, one of Mali's most celebrated vocalists, makes his first ever solo tour in the United States, with only one performance in New York. Backed by a quartet of some of Africa's finest musicians, including the world-renowned Ballaké Sissoko on kora, these performances highlight songs from his recent release of hisKirike, which was hailed by The Financial Times as "the perfect setting for Diabaté's voice." Over the past ten years Kassé Mady has been a star singer alongside fellow Malian kora player Toumani Diabaté, first with the Symmetric Orchestra, and subsequently with the Afrocubism recording project on World Circuit and in live performance.
Friday, February 19, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
Tickets $65, $55, $50, $45
Co-presented with Town Hall
WATCH
- Paul Simon
For over 50 years, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo has warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with their uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming onstage banter. Most recently, the four time Grammy Award winning group-including the 2013 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album-celebrated the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking collaboration with Paul Simon on his seminal album, Graceland. Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo reunited to tour the music of Graceland and to reflect on the legacy of that collaboration in Under African Skies, a documentary prominently featured on PBS. With a deep respect for both their cultural and personal history, Ladysmith Black Mambazo are an ever-evolving group who have already established a significant legacy.
MASTERS OF CUBAN MUSIC
Left to Right: Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club, Chucho Valdes, Arturo Sandoval
Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club
Thursday, November 3, 2015, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, November 4, 2015, 8:00 p.m.
Beacon Theatre
2124 Broadway at West 75th Street
Tickets $95, $65, $49.50
WATCH
which triggered a worldwide Latin-jazz revival"
- Rolling Stone
One of the most endearing success stories in recent memory, Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club says "adios" to world stages with their 2015 Farewell Tour. These two back-to-back concerts at New York's Beacon Theatre are the final two shows of the tour. When Ry Cooder recruited a group of aging, forgotten musicians for a 1997 recording session in Havana, what happened next was a welcome interruption in the politically-challenged relationship between Cuba and the United States. The resulting album won a Grammy Award, the group shot to international fame, and those senior citizens began their storied journey as ambassadors for the music of Cuba.
Chucho Valdes: Irakere 40
Thursday, November 10, 2015, 8:00 p.m.
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
Tickets $75, $70, $65, $55
WATCH
pillars in the history of contemporary jazz"
- The Houston Chronicle
Winner of five Grammy and three Latin Grammy Awards, the Cuban pianist, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés is one of the most influential figures in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. For this unique performance at Town Hall, Valdés celebrates the 40th anniversary of his original groundbreaking ensemble Irakere. One of the most important bands in the history of Latin jazz, Irakere's members included Arturo Sandoval (see below) and Paquito D'Rivera, who eventually became solo stars in their own right. For the first time in decades, Valdés and a band of young musicians will revisit and reinterpret the music of his trailblazing group Irakere, keeping this dynamic music alive. "All those in attendance ended up standing up singing and dancing to hits such as Xiomara Mayoral or Bacalao con pan," wrote a recent reviewer of an Irakere 40 performance in the El Paísnewspaper. "The giant of Cuban piano claimed his place not only as interpreter but as the creator of a sound that is now the lingua franca in Latin jazz but 40 years ago...must've sounded like a revolution."
Friday, December 2, 2015, 8:00 p.m.
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Ave
Tickets $65, $55, $45, $25
Co-presented with 92Y
WATCH
and flamboyant upper register flourishes. But the arrangements
are imaginative and fresh minted." - Financial Times
Arturo Sandoval's December concert, co-presented by 92Y and World Music Institute, will be a special tribute to his teacher and mentor Dizzy Gillespie. A protégé of the legendary jazz master, his 2012 album Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) earned Sandoval his 10th Grammy Award. Sandoval was born in Artemisa, a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, in 1949-just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American Jazz. The two met when Gillespie visited Havana in 1977, when Sandoval took the opportunity to play trumpet for his hero, and remained close until Gillespie's death. "I always considered that a gift from God - to be able to meet and become a close friend of your hero," Sandoval said. Today, Sandoval remains one of the world's most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist, and composer. A dynamic and vivacious performer, Sandoval is also the 2013 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
MASTERS OF INDIAN MUSIC
The Masters of Indian Music series continues the World Music Institute's long tradition of presenting the finest in Indian classical music, both Hindustani (North India) and Carnatic (South India).Theaterscene describes the series as "An experience of great intellectual, sensual and spiritual reward."
Left to Right: Anindo Chatterjee, L. Subramaniam, Amjad Ali Khan
Anindo Chatterjee
with Anubrata Chatterjee and Sanatan Goswami
Sunday, September 27, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Storm King Art Center
1 Museum Rd, New Windsor, NY, Off I-87
Free with Museum Admission
Presented in collaboration with Storm King Art Center
WATCH
A rare luminary of Indian classical music, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee exemplifies the art of tabla playing. This concert at Storm King Art Center will feature a tabla duet concert with Anindo and his son and musical disciple, Anubrata Chatterjee, accompanied by Sanatan Goswami on Harmonium. Trained from his early childhood in the art by Guru Padmabhusan Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Anindo Chatterjee gained incredible mastery of the tradition, and continues to give new voice to the instrument with his own unique style. In acknowledgment of his immense contribution to music, both in India and all over the world, he was awarded the "Sangeet Natak Akademy Award" in 2002, and he was the first tabla player to perform in the House of Commons.
L. Subramaniam
Thursday, February 5, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Ave
Tickets $55,$45, $35, $25
Co-presented with 92Y
WATCH
- The New York Times
India's violin icon L. Subramaniam, dubbed "The Paganini of Indian Classical music," has earned international acclaim for his virtuosic techniques and distinct style that embraces both Western classical music and the Carnatic classical music of Southern India. A Grammy-nominated artist, Dr. Subramaniam has made more than 200 recordings and collaborated with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Yehudi Menuhin, Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, and Maynard Ferguson. For this intimate classical concert, Dr. Subramaniam shares the stage with his son, fellow violinistAmbi Subramaniam, as well as Mahesh Krishnamurthy on mridangram.
Co-presented by World Music Institute and 92Y, this will be the only North American concert presented as a part of this year's esteemed Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival, and it marks L Subramaniam's WMI debut. Dr. Subramaniam began the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival to honor the memory of his father, the esteemed musician Professor V. Lakshminarayana. The festival has been held across 49 cities in 20 countries and five continents, and is sponsored by theTimes of India, the largest print publication in the world.Amjad Ali Khan & Sons
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 3:00 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Avenue at East 82nd Street
Tickets $35
WATCH
- Songlines World Music Magazine (UK)
The legendary Amjad Ali Khan comes from a musical family credited with creating the sarod and, with performances from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, he has shared their music across the globe. Khan has done far more than simply preserve the impact, beauty, and legacy of the sarod; he has elevated the sarod to one of the most popular instruments in the Northern Indian tradition. By striking the delicate balance between innovation and respect for a timeless tradition, he has given it new dimension and texture. For this performance he will be accompanied by his two sons, Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, who continue the family's illustrious musical lineage.
GLOBAL/LOCAL INITIATIVE
World Music Institute launches Global/Local, a new initiative dedicated to discovering and recognizing the international richness of the musicians and dancers living in the New York area. In addition to a dedicated weekend in November at BAMcafé featuring two stellaracts, numerous local artists will also appear throughout the season as opening acts, giving them exposure to a much larger audience than they would normally have, and simultaneously exposing WMI's audience to genres that they might not discover on their own. Some of these artists include Fantcha opening for Brazilian star Ana Carolina, and the local Afrobeat group Underground System opening for Afrobeat legend Orlando Julius.
Left to Right: Brian Shimkovitz, Gato Loco
Awesome Tapes From Africa (DJ Set)
Friday, November 20, 2015, 9:00 p.m.
BAMcafé
30 Lafayette Ave
Free Admission
Presented in conjunction with BAM
WATCH
After spending time in Africa on a Fulbright Scholarship for ethnomusicology,Brian Shimkovitz brought back huge collections of tapes. After sitting in his Brooklyn apartment trying to figure out what to do with them, he thought that he should share them. The resulting blog has become a phenomena unto itself.Brian Shimkovitz's Awesome Tapes From Africa sheds light on obscure and wonderful sounds from across the continent. As a DJ, Shimkovitz brings the blog to life with 2-3 hour sets blending folkloric pop, left-field dancefloor gems, and hip-hop bangers he's collected on African marketplace finds.
Gato Loco
Saturday, November 21, 2015, 9:00 p.m.
BAMcafé
30 Lafayette Ave
Free Admission
Presented in conjunction with BAM
WATCH
Gato Loco was born from the streets of New York: exotic and foreign, urban and familiar all at once. Like the bombastic fusion of a Latin mambo ballroom and a 21st century rock show, Gato Loco sweeps audiences off their feet. Their live show transforms any space into an instant party, filled with celebration and joy. The group takes its cues from scratchy pre-war Cuban records and vintage betty boop cartoons, while freely incorporating an unbridled modern mentality. Finding the surprising connection between early mambo and salsa of the 50s & 60s, early punk of the 70s, and post-modern avant-garde jazz of the 80s, Gato Loco embraces an all-encompassing sound of irreverence, rebellion, and abandon that defies place or time.
FESTIVAL AY! MAS FLAMENCO
From Left to Right: La Otra Orilla, Joaquin Grilo, La Lupi
La Otra Orilla
Thursday, March 3, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Tickets $65, $55, $45
WATCH
creating her own unique expression" - The Dance Current
Works by La Otra Orilla are recognizable for their unique and radical approach to flamenco. Based on the collaboration between dancer and choreographer Myriam Allard and singer-director Hedi Graja, the company embodies a cutting-edge interpretation of the timeless and universal appeal of flamenco. The artistic directors have created a hybrid flamenco language that is both modern and poetic, exploring the traditions of this art form while staying firmly rooted in the present. For WMI's Festival Ay! Mas Flamenco, they present their reinvented flamenco in a new piece, Moi&lesAutres, a spirited exploration of the complex art of connection.
Joaquin Grilo:
Dedicated to Paco De Lucia
Friday, March 4, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Tickets $65, $55, $45
WATCH
most exemplary exponent of masculine dance from Jerez."
- David Montes, Flamencomanía
Joaquin Grilo dedicates this intensely personal evening to his teacher, colleague, and friend, guitarist Paco de Lucía, with whom he toured for many years and who left an indelible impact on his artistic career. This joyful production is Grilo's vision of modern flamenco, born out of his deep respect for the art form, which weaves together complex music and dance to celebrate the spontaneous nature of flamenco. Guitar, vocals, palmas, and dance center on the soleá and bulerías, set against a backdrop comprised of the simplest elements in order to highlight the dance. The music is inspired by the rhythms of the styles of flamenco being performed, uniting the production in a current of energy and emotion.
La Lupi
Saturday, March 5, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Tickets $65, $55, $45
WATCH
Her vocation, her love of flamenco and her profession and her beautiful
energy are contagious." - Miguel Poveda
Susana Lupiañez Pinto "La Lupi" was first discovered by guitarist Juan Maya Marote while performing in flamenco tablaos while still a student, and she subsequently became a dancer in his company. She was a guest artist in Juan de Juan and Rafael Amargo's companies and on singer Miguel Poveda's tour of the album arteSano, and her choreography credits include work with the National Ballet of Spain. Today, La Lupi is the director and choreographer of her own flamenco company, which has performed in theatres and festivals across the world and produced such artists as Rocío Molina. La Lupi is the recipient of the 2007 First Prize for Seguiriyas and the Second Prize for Alegrías awarded by the La Perla de Cádiz National Flamenco Competition.
Tablao Sevilla:
Sonia Olla & Ismael Fernández
Sunday, March 6, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Meridian 23
(VIP Closing Gala Event)
161 West 23rd Street (between 6th and 7th Ave)
VIP Tickets $95
The husband-and-wife team of flamenco dancer Sonia Olla-who was just tapped by Madonna to choreograph the legend's worldwide Rebel Heart Tour-and singerIsmael Fernández, are each from Spain (Sonia from Barcelona, Ismael from Seville and of Gypsy descent), now relocated to New York (Global/Local artists). They currently reside here, performing and also teaching authentic flamenco and cante classes. After moving to New York, Sonia and Ismael collaborated to create "Tiempo Al Aire," a unique blend of traditional flamenco with elements of jazz and percussion, which sold out Joe's Pub as part of the world-famous New York Flamenco Festival in 2014.
Sonia studied flamenco with the legendary Merce Esmeralda, Manolo Marín, Mariquilla and Antonio Canales. In 1999, she made her professional debut with the illustrious Rafael Amargo in the critically acclaimed production "Amargo." Since then, she has toured as company member and soloist, sharing the stage with many flamenco greats including the famed Nuevo Ballet Español. Ismael grew up performing in flamenco festivals throughout the world with his internationally renowned family, "La Familia Fernández." In 2004, he won the National Contest of Cordoba, singing bulerías for famed dancer Soraya Clavijo, and that same year he was a finalist in the Festival De Cante De La Union. Throughout his expansive career, Ismael has worked with flamenco legends such as Antonio Canales, Farruquito, Marina Heredia, El Torombo and Leonor Moro.DANCING THE GODS
Hailed as "among the most probing and serious" Indian classical dance festivals (DanceTabs), with "a record of attracting some truly godlike dancers" (The New York Times), the World Music Institute's annualDancing the Gods festival returns for its fifth season. Audiences can expect spectacular shows, lec-dems, and chat & chai artist receptions.
Left to Right: Mythili Prakash, Sanjukta Wagh
Mythili Prakash
"JWALA: The Flame"
Saturday, April 23, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Tickets $40, $35
WATCH
Hailed a child prodigy, Mythili Prakash began her career at the age of eight and has performed extensively over the last two decades in prestigious venues and festivals throughout the world. She brings to this year's Dancing the Gods festival a production exploring the multiple resonances of Jwala, the flame, as a symbol of life and spirit, both physical and metaphysical. Trained by her mother, Viji Prakash, in Bharata Natyam dance, she is now mentored by India's acclaimed master Malavika Sarukkai. Mythili's use of traditional Bharata Natyam technique and extended repertoire creates new structures that awaken the physicality, musicality, and theatricality of the art form. While highly acclaimed for her technical and virtuosic skill as a performer, Mythili stays deeply rooted in the inherent spirituality of the art form, which is the driving inspiration of both her choreographic explorations and her own practice.
Sanjukta Wagh
"Rage and Beyond: Irawati's Gandhari"
Sunday, April 24, 2016, 7:00 p.m.
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
Tickets $40, $35
WATCH
Performer, choreographer, teacher, and curator, Sanjukta Wagh has trained extensively under Rajashree Shirke in Kathak dance and Pandit Murli Manohar Shukla in Hindustani music. Her engagement with theatre (honed by playwright-director Chetan Datar), her work at the Laban Centre of Dance in London, her love of literature, and her deep unease with comfort zones have led to her interdisciplinary and exploratory mode of work.
This year's Dancing the Gods festival features her most recent dance/theater work,Rage and Beyond: Irawati's Gandhari. Inspired by Irawati Karve's acclaimed textYugant (which studies the characters of the epic Mahabharata) and interested in embodiment of the character Gandhari (an incarnation of the Goddess of Intelligence), the work won two National Theatre Awards at META (India) in 2015.AFRICA NOW
AT THE APOLLO
Clockwise from Top Left: Bombino, Mokoomba, Alsarah and The Nubatones, Jojo Abot
Bombino,
Mokoomba,
Alsarah & The Nubatones,
Jojo Abot
Saturday, March 26, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
The Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street
Tickets $30-$65
Presented in partnership with The Apollo Theater
WATCH
- Rolling Stone on Bombino
In what has become an annual highlight, Africa Now returns to the historic Apollo Theater for its fourth year spotlighting emerging and established artists of today's African music scene. Drawing upon roots in Niger, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Ghana for inspiration, this year's artists each bring a unique sound, experience and energy to the stage, integrating African identity with a cosmopolitan spirit and urban vigor.
Born and raised in Niger, in the northern city of Agadez, Bombino is a member of the Tuareg Ifoghas tribe, a nomadic people descended from the Berbers of North Africa. His dazzling live performance and virtuosity on the guitar have led notable music critics to compare him to Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Neil Young, and Jerry Garcia. WMI's Par Neiburger declares Bombino is "the next star of desert blues, à la Tinariwen." His 2013 album Nomad debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Music album chart and earned rave reviews including from BBC World Service, which called it "utterly, utterly fantastic." Exuberant youthful energy bursting with natural talent and contagious rhythm, the six young musicians which make up Mokoomba are Zimbabwe's next generation of hope. This show marks their United States debut. Musically distinct, Mokoomba combines traditional and modern instruments with a rich blend of rhythms, creating a vibrant sound consisting of not only traditional Tonga music but embracing the diverse cultures of southern Africa. Alsarah (Global/Local artist) is a Sudanese-born singer, songwriter and ethnomusicologist. Born in the capital city of Khartoum, she relocated to Yemen, and later moved to the United States in 1994, following the outbreak of civil war. Through a collective love for Nubian 'songs of return' and an evolving conversation around shared migration experiences, Alsarah, drummer Rami el Aasser, Armenian-American oud player Haig Manoukian, and French-born Togo raised bass player Mawuena Kodjovi, formed Alsarah & The Nubatones with a sound that has grown into what they have dubbed 'East African retro-pop.' Jojo Abot (Global/Local artist), an emerging Ghanaian singer-songwriter, is poised to capture the ears of discerning listeners worldwide with her experimental blend of electronica, afrobeat, jazz, neo-soul, house and reggae. Dividing her time between Accra, Copenhagen and New York City, Jojo's music is a cultural and sonic fusion driven by raw and thought-provoking lyrics, her sultry voice, and enchanting vulnerability.COUNTERPOINT SERIES
Above: Album cover for Aguas da Amazonia
Uakti performs Aguas da Amazonia with special guest Philip Glass
Friday, May 13, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
92nd Street Y
135 Lexington Ave
Tickets $75, $65, $55, $25
Co-presented with 92Y
WATCH
- The New York Times "Years ago when I first met Uakti, I saw their music and performance as a unique and beautiful contribution to the world of new and experimental music ... This CD represents a true melding of my music with their sensibilities. For me, it is a delight and a pleasure to hear the final result."
- Philip Glass
World Music Institute's 30th Anniversary Season closes with an incredible collaboration-American legend Philip Glass performs as special guest with Uakti, the otherworldly Brazilian ensemble who use only one-of-a-kind instruments that they build themselves (such as glass marimbas). Uakti hasn't had a solo show in the U.S. in many years. Glass and Uakti were introduced by Paul Simon during the recording of his 1988 album Rhythm of the Saints, and have maintained a longstanding collaboration since-though one rarely seen in performance. Glass has twice selected Uakti to perform his commissioned works, and he released five of their albums on his Point Music label.
Among these albums was their critically-acclaimed 2006 recording of his music,Aguas da Amazonia. Originally composed by Philip Glass as a ballet commissioned by Grupo Corpo, Glass asked Uakti to record the work. Uakti's principal composer Marco Antônio Guimarães arranged Aguas Da Amazonia for the group's custom built instruments-the first time Glass's music was arranged by another composer. Uakti has never performed this music live with Philip Glass, until now. Uakti's un-reproducible sound has earned them numerous fans, including Milton Nascimento, Paul Simon, and the World Music Institute's Artistic Director Par Neiburger. "I've been obsessed with Uakti since I was a teen-ager. When I was hired by WMI as Artistic Director, my first thought was, I have to bring Uakti over," says Neiburger. In fulfilling that dream by bringing together Uakti and Glass to recreate Aguas da Amazonia for the first time ever in live performance, Neiburger brings the 30th Anniversary Season to a stunning, and personal, finale.Tickets for all World Music Institute events are available for purchase online at www.worldmusicinstitute.org, or by calling 1-888-586-1027. Discounts are also available for WMI Friends with memberships starting at $100. Go online for more information.
Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, World Music Institute has served as the leading presenter of world music and dance within the United States. For the past 30 years, WMI has built the most comprehensive concert series of diverse music and dance performances, presenting the finest in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world. WMI encourages cultural exchange between nations and ethnic groups and collaborates with community organizations and academic institutions in fostering greater understanding of the world's cultural traditions. WMI works extensively with community groups and organizations including Indian, Iranian, Chinese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Latin American, Hungarian, Irish, and Central Asian. This has enabled WMI to be at the forefront of presenting the finest ensembles from these countries.
WMI curates a full season of concerts each year in New York City in venues throughout the city, including Carnegie Hall, The Apollo, BAM, 92Y, Symphony Space, Town Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Roulette, The Beacon Theatre, Skirball Performing Arts Center at NYU, New York City Center, Drom, Storm King Art Center, the Rose Theater (Jazz at Lincoln Center), and Le Poisson Rouge. It has presented more than 1,500 concerts and events featuring artists from more than 100 countries including Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. In addition to its regular programming, WMI has brought many musical, dance and ritual traditions to the New York or U.S. stage for the first time, including Laotian sung poetry, folk music of Khorason and Bushehr (Iran), songs of the Yemenite Jews, Bardic divas of Central Asia, trance ceremonies from Morocco, music from Madagascar, and Theyyams (masked dances) of Kerala, South India.Videos